PyRo's Horse Bets.

Caveman1

Yes get in. Great picking Pyro I knew it wouldnt be long till ya picked another winner

Iluvjazzmasters

Hello early xmas presents! Great picking again Pyro!:D

TheMilkyPirate

Good man, Cheers pyro.

3ndahalfof6

congrats sir, I was late to the straw and early to rise I forgot to check in, but delighted for all who got on.

rodeo1985

well done again sir

MyStubbleItches

Lovely to go into the local bookie and pick up money again!!

Thank you again.

ft9

Good man P!

x PyRo

Cheers lads, was a bit of a wait for that one! Hopefully more will follow suit soon.

---

Sugar Beet ensured a return to winning ways when scoring by just shy of a length at Kempton. They went off very hard from the front, as I had hoped, and that really played into the hands of this filly. In truth, she was a rather fortunate winner as the second would have surely won had he not missed the kick but it's nice to get a bit of luck for a change. The rise in the weights that will follow should put me off her for a while yet but if it looks like a rapid pace is in order over that C&D, she could be worth chancing again. Regardless, it was a fine performance yesterday and she landed a 3pt bet at 6/1 in the process.

The other selection, Legion D'Honneur, was well-backed in the morning, moving into 5/1 from 16's at one stage. However, he was easy to back before the off and never looked like winning or landing a blow. Scudamore had him held up in rear again and his usual strong-travelling ways were non-existent on the day, which was quite disappointing. He was actually under pressure not far past halfway and that's unlike him, so I'd say it's best to overlook this run completely. He's one for again and should continue to be a worthwhile price.

+16.00pts on the day.

Just one today and I'm tired enough, so it's brief.

1:00 Ludlow - Nosecond Chance - 2pts @ 5/1 (Bet365)

Unless there's plenty of rain at Ludlow, the ground mightn't be soft enough for the relatively short-priced favourite to run up to his best and as a result, it's probably best to look elsewhere. Nosecond Chance looks like the one to oppose him with and although I don't particularly like backing last time out winners, Charlie Mann's 5-year-old looks more than capable of defying an 8lb rise in the weights and looks overpriced to do so at 5/1. Connections are now stepping him up to this 2m 4f, which, at this sharp track, should be well within his range and could bring out even further improvement in this lightly-raced, progressive animal.

Nosecond Chance won a modest 9-runner handicap over 2-miles at Hereford last time out, getting up in the closing stages despite looking to have a slim chance of winning with a couple of flights still to go. In the end, he made up plenty of ground to catch the potentially useful leader and although that animal was a bit unlucky to lose, due to jumping to his left constantly, he looks to be a decent benchmark (plus they were a long way clear of the rest). That run suggests that Mann's charge should be even better over a longer trip and gets exactly that today. His sound jumping is also an asset and if he's in a similar mood today, he should go well in what looks to be another modest contest. The yard have a great record at this track, as does the jockey, and this animal looks in with a good chance of running another big race. 5/1 is a bit too big and small/medium win stakes will do the job.

Caveman1

Pyro thanks for some great tips during the year here's hoping for many more next year. Hope you've a good Xmas and a profitable new year

MyStubbleItches

Happy Christmas Pyro. Thanks for a great year of taking money from the bookies and here's hoping for a great year in 2012.

Pure legend laaaad. :D:D

LANOOCHUDLE

merry christmas pyro and many thanks

lecker Hendl

Pyro - the all year santa, giving and giving gifts to one and all

thesandeman

Have you anything for today Pyro?











Joke! Happy Christmas and thanks for the year.


(not forgetting ur pressie. Just waiting for something else to clear for me ;-)

3ndahalfof6

have a good 1 sir, we will no doubt cross paths next year, keep safe.

x PyRo

Cheers lads, hope ye've all had a great one.

Hope to be back online late in the night but posting the selections now just in case (just in case I have a few too many!). Back with reasoning later.

1:25 Kempton - Loch Ba - 2pts @ 9/1 (WillHill)

1:45 Wetherby - Knockara Beau - 2pts @ 6/1 (Betfred, Ladbrokes, WillHill)

2:00 Kempton - Silviniaco Conti - 3pts @ 7/2 (Bet365, Boyles, Ladbrokes, Powers)

2:35 Kempton - Binocular - 4pts @ 2/1 (Boyles, WillHill)

3:10 Kempton - Master Minded - 3pts @ 7/1 (WillHill)

3:40 Kempton - Like Minded - 2pts @ 8/1 (Bet365, Powers)

x PyRo

1:25 Kempton - Loch Ba - 2pts @ 9/1 (WillHill)

Loch Ba has plenty of work to do in the jumping department but he's only a lightly-raced 5-year-old and should have more improvement to come. In three runs over fences to date, he has won once and finished second twice, the latest off a 5lb lower mark in which he jumped quite poorly but galloped on relentlessly to go down by a narrow margin. That was in a 5-runner contest at a track that probably doesn't play to his strengths.

Whether Kempton will suit Loch Ba fully is debatable (won on chase debut over C&D but was very fortuitous; now 13lbs higher in a better race) but it will suit more than Sandown and the likely solid gallop in this decent sized field is going to be another help for Henrietta Knight's charge. Knight also sees fit to apply first-time cheekpieces and if they have the desired effect, the improvement required to see him play a part could be found. 9/1 looks like a decent price about him in what is a wide-open contest and he's worthy of small/medium stakes.

---

1:45 Wetherby - Knockara Beau - 2pts @ 6/1 (Betfred, Ladbrokes, WillHill)

This looks to be a very competitive handicap but Knockara Beau is weighted to get involved in proceedings and can do exactly that if things pan out for him during the race. It looks very likely that he'll get a solid gallop to run after on this testing ground and that should be right up his street. George Charlton's 8-year-old hasn't won over fences for a couple of years but he has contested some very good races in that time and hasn't always got what he's in need of. Last time out, over the extended 3m 1f at Cheltenham, this game animal ran a cracking race to finish second to a useful Nicky Henderson trained improver.

In the end, Knockara Beau was beaten a bit more than 3-lengths but that doesn't tell the whole story, as he got badly outpaced before flying late on. The ground was probably too lively for him and that run suggests to me that he's well-handicapped off a mark of 143 here on what is his ideal ground. The track should be no issue either and due to the highly-rated top-weight, Charlton's stable star gets in off a very nice weight. Overall, 6/1 is a nice price about him and small/medium win stakes will suffice again.

---

2:00 Kempton - Silviniaco Conti - 3pts @ 7/2 (Bet365, Boyles, Ladbrokes, Powers)

Opposing Grand Crus mightn't look like a great idea after the race but I get the suspicion that he'll prove to be better over shorter and could do with more cut in the ground. He's obviously an exceptional talent but there's enough there to suggest that he's avoidable at the 5/4 mark and I'll happily take him on with the Paul Nicholls trained Silviniaco Conti, a horse who looks much better value at current odds of 7/2. This very useful hurdler has taken to the chasing game very well and having ran a solid race when expected to be in need of it on his seasonal reappearance (was also going left-handed and he's said to be better the other way around), he improved significantly to score so very easily in a Grade 2 novices' race over 2m 5f at Wincanton.

On that occasion, Nicholls' charge won by 25-lengths in a race where only one runner managed to finish in behind. It wasn't a great race but the way in which he jumped was impressive, bar one mishap four out, and there's bound to be a lot more to come. The step up in trip should suit and this track is likely to ideal too. Whether Silviniaco Conti will prove to have the class of the current favourite is up for debate but I think he could get the better of Pipe's stable star today. Medium win stakes will do the job and hopefully he'll run well.

---

2:35 Kempton - Binocular - 4pts @ 2/1 (Boyles, WillHill)

I've always thought that Binocular is quite an overrated animal but there's no questioning that he's an exceptionally talented performer and in truth, this race looks very winnable to say the least. Last time out, on what was his first outing of the season, he ran a perfectly good race when going down by just over 4-lengths to a race-fit Overturn (5/2 shot here) at the stiff Newcastle track. Given the fact that he was probably in need of the outing, I don't think that Newcastle would be playing to his strengths and AP McCoy didn't exactly give him a hard time as they scampered for home.

Binocular should come on a fair amount for having had the run and the return to this flat, speed orientated track should help to see him in a much better light assuming that it doesn't turn into a wild sprint for home in the closing stages. Nicky Henderson's charge also improved a lot for his first run last season and won this race easily on his second outing, something which I expect to happen here again. Connections have said that he's working very well since Newcastle and I fail to see how he's not a fair way shorter than 2/1.

Rock On Ruby is obviously a very good horse and won very impressively last time out but that was a handicap in which he was rated 145 and this is a completely different kettle of fish. I don't think he has the speed for a race like this (I may be very wrong) and taking 9/4 about him doesn't appeal to me at all. Overturn is bound to feel the effects of a tough season before too long and although my selection has work to do with him, I feel that form can be readily turned around at this track. 2/1 about Binocular landing the spoils here is just too big and warrants a borderline maximum bet. Hopefully he can give his best and if he does, he'll win. Whether he will give his best is the problem!

---

3:10 Kempton - Master Minded - 3pts @ 7/1 (WillHill)

Plenty of good judges seem to question whether Master Minded will get this 3-mile trip but I'm completely on the other side of the fence and it's a pointless discussion as far as I'm concerned. He runs as if he'll get the trip without any problem at all nowadays and I wouldn't be one bit surprised if he was still swinging away on the bridle as they come down to the last couple of flights. What happens after that against some proven, top-class stayers is beyond me but taking 7/1 about this exceptionally talented animal getting his head in-front over this trip is very appealing and I'm hopeful that he'll run a great race.

Paul Nicholls has also targeted this race for Master Minded for quite some time and he has been trained specifically for it, so at least we know that he should be peaking right about now, which will be needed if he's going on to win against this opposition. Connections have also said that they're going to make a bit more use of him and that should be a help at this track - plus he's also much better when allowed to race handily. His 3-length win over 2m 3f at Ascot last time out was encouraging and although his lead over Somersby was diminishing in the closing stages, he seemed to be idling in-front more than anything. I also think that his jumping wasn't great on occasions and having got warm beforehand, it rates as a very good performance in my book.

Kauto Star is the big attraction to this race and if my bet isn't successful, I'd only be too delighted to see him land the spoils. Whether he can replicate his excellent performance at Haydock has to be a worry and any value in his price has long gone. With him hovering around the 3/1 mark at the moment, I'd much prefer to take him on. Long Run is the other obvious threat to the field and he should come on for his seasonal reappearance but I just can't take to the horse and I feel that he's underpriced at 11/8 here. There's no doubting his talent but is he a worthwhile bet in this company at that price? I wouldn't think so. Master Minded is the value call here and 7/1 is surely too big for him. Barring disaster, he should have a say in the concluding stakes and medium win stakes will do the job.

---

3:40 Kempton - Like Minded - 2pts @ 8/1 (Bet365, Powers)

This is an ultra-competitive handicap hurdle but Like Minded is a very interesting contender for the Paul Nicholls stable and with a bit of luck, he could run a big race. This lightly-raced 7-year-old gelding has obviously had his problems and Nicholls said that he's very hard to get fit, so how well he ran on his seasonal reappearance has to be a massive encouragement to connections. Despite not having lined out since February, this fellow ran a cracking race for a long time when contesting a useful staying handicap hurdle over the extended 3-mile trip at Newbury, a race which ended up being a thorough test of stamina.

In the end, Like Minded was beaten by 15-lengths but wasn't given a hard time of it when his chance had gone and before that, he had travelled into the race going as well as any before his stamina gave way. By right, he's likely to prove to be a better animal over lesser trips and the drop back to 2m 5f here is bound to be in his favour. The ground should pose no issues either and with race-fitness being improved significantly for having had a run, a big performance could be on the cards. Ruby Walsh hops back on board too and that has to be seen as a plus, as he'll give the horse plenty of time to creep into contention in a race that should be run at a good clip. A mark of 129 looks exploitable despite the competitive nature of this race and 8/1 is a very attractive price about this animal winning. Small/medium win stakes again and hopefully he'll run a good race.

---

This will be my last selections post for a while (will update the stats soon) and seeing how the thread has been turning into a (very annoying) chat thread (the racing thread is here (click)) in the past couple of months, I'm closing it for a while. All the best lads and lassies, let's just hope they don't all get stuffed!